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News 04 January 2014

All the news for Saturday 4 January 2014


Walsh wants the best out of his players in HWL Final

NEW DELHI: The Hero Hockey World League Final is Terry Walsh's first assignment with India, but the newly-appointed chief coach of the senior men's team has reposed faith in his wards to put up a good show in the elite eight-nation event to be held here from January 10-18.

Walsh, who took the reigns of the Indian men's hockey team in November from fellow Australian Michael Nobbs, wants the best out of his players in the upcoming event, as, in all likelihood, it is India's last big-ticket tournament before the World Cup slated to be held at The Hague, Netherlands from May 31 to June 15.

"The boys are confident for the upcoming tournament. This is the final of Hero Hockey World League and is a clash amongst the top eight hockey countries. This in itself is a motivating factor for the entire team and we are looking forward to our game against England next Friday," Walsh said after a practice session at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here.

"This is the last big tournament (for India) before the World Cup and hence becomes all the more important that we play our best game during the league," he added.

India captain Sardar Singh said the players are working hard on their grey areas under the coaching staff and cannot wait to take on England in their tournament opener on January 10.

"The World League final will be a completely new tournament and a new experience for this team and we will be beginning from the scratch," Sardar said.

"While the boys are practicing hard, we are even holding regular meetings with the coaches to understand where we lack on the field and analysing this further by watching our videos. Presently we are working on every players positioning and in the process giving huge emphasis on our passes.

"The boys are not under any pressure and are looking at their first clash against England," the mercurial mid-fielder said.

The Times of India



Terry Walsh not happy with the ‘system’

In just over two months, national men’s hockey coach Terry Walsh has realised the extent of difficulties he’s up against in India. And the Australian is blunt in his criticism of the entire system.

“The biggest issue is the decision making process. In successful countries, people who head high performance units make the decisions because they are the most qualified. That doesn’t happen in India. Here, the decisions are made by ministries, federations, government,” Walsh said on Friday, after the team’s training session on ahead of the Hockey World league Final.

Walsh agreed that Indian players have the skill but went on to add that skills played just one small part. “The national team is the head and you can’t fix only the head and expect things to get better in the long term. If you target the top without working on the bottom, the structure will crumble.

“The decision making process is the key. That’s why Roelant (Oltmans) is here, I am here. But there is no point in bringing people from all over and then tie them up saying you can’t decide anything,” Walsh added.

The chief coach admitted he had been warned against being too critical. “People tell me you will disappear if you talk of these things but that’s the reality! If you don’t fix them and put your head in sand, then another year or decade will pass and there will be no difference.” Talking about the upcoming tournament, Walsh admitted there were a lot of shortcomings. “Our scoring is poor and inefficient. Our ability to tackle as a unit and understand the nuances of the game is poor. When to take risks or play safe, when to play fast or slow down the game — these are things we are not good at.

“It’s about changing the mindset and educate them on how to think about the game. It’s a pattern behaviour we trying to alter and history tells me it will take at least one to three years.”

The Times of India



Harry Martin ready for India's hostile atmosphere ahead of World Hockey League finals

The economics student is determined to make up for London 2012 disappointment as two major tournaments loom over next six months


Looking to the future: Harry Martin wants to atone for Olympic disappointment by playing key role in England midfield this year Photo: ADY KERRY

By Rod Gilmour

England midfielder Harry Martin knows all too well the “hostile” atmosphere created by India’s passionate hockey fans.

Martin, the youngest member of Team GB’s Olympic squad, made his international debut in New Delhi during an ultimately thrilling semi-final defeat to India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Next Friday, the 21-year-old will face India once more in the World Hockey League’s opening fixture after amassing over 60 caps since that 2010 loss as England failed to garner a medal.

A further baptism was to follow at the London Olympics when Team GB again finished out of the medals, which included a chastening 9-2 defeat to the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

Martin, who is in his second year at Nottingham University studying economics, was left devastated in the aftermath.

“I really struggled for the year afterwards at university,” he admitted. “I lay on my bed at night thinking ‘what might have been’.

“It was a tough year. It was my gap year, I put everything into it and not to have been picked would have been devastating. You try not to think about it and in the end it was such a good year, with a great team that even if I hadn’t played, it would have been memorable.

“Pretty quickly we came round to the fact we were driven to win a medal. When I look back at it, there will also be disappointment.”

With a new-look squad and Bobby Crutchley now in charge of the men's side, Martin says that England are now “geared up” towards the next cycle ahead of Rio 2016.

“In terms of hockey, it was one of the worst seasons I’ve had,” said Martin of his post-Olympic experience. “At university, if you want a distraction you can go out. I didn’t handle the disappointment that well, but I’m tougher now and that’s not too much more I can't come up against.”

Still the challenges come thick and fast. Both the World League Finals (which features the top eight sides) and World Cup clash with exams – “it seems as if I don’t have a free moment” – and despite racking up the caps, Martin admits that it still too early to think about breaking international records.

“I’d rather win medals than caps so I haven’t thought about it,” he said. “Now am just loving it, I want to reach my peak and push on from there.”

Games come no tougher than India on the sub-continent, too. “It will be hostile and they get right behind your team,” added Martin.

England’s World League schedule (pool stages)

Jan 10: v India
Jan 11: v Germany
Jan 13: v New Zealand

The Telegraph



Eventful, exhilarating and enchanting

S. Thyagarajan.


Indian players celebrate on defeating England 3-2 via the penalty shootout in the Junior World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany. The victory brought India the bronze medal.

The Hockey India League and the launch of the Hockey World League were on top of the agenda in the year that rolled by.

Any contemplation on what competitive hockey was in the year that rolled by brings on a melange of emotions. Eventful, exhilarating and enchanting in more ways than one, hockey coursed through a fascinating phase, projecting new vistas to the aficionados.

Sandwiched between the London Olympics and the hectic schedule of 2014, that includes the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games apart from the Hockey India League, the year focused on the World Cup qualifiers and the efficacy of new ventures that witnessed fresh alignment of powers. Amazing was the emergence of Belgium as a hockey powerhouse.

On top of the agenda were two important events — the Hockey India League, promoted by India, and the launch of the Hockey World League by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The Hockey India League was an ambitious project akin to the Indian Premier League and featured outstanding talent from across the world. The million-dollar venture brought a sizeable number of Indian and foreign players on view at various centres across the country. The tournament was full of excitement, largely because of the novelty of seeing a mix of Indian and foreign players in combat. Ranchi Rhinos won the competition.

Even more path breaking was the mammoth Hockey World League involving almost the entire fraternity of players. What added a degree of enchantment to the venture was its linking with the World Cup. The top six teams from the event became automatic qualifiers for the World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands.

The cluster of matches played at various centres across the world to spot the qualifiers for the semi-finals of the Hockey World League in Rotterdam and London generated enormous interest.



While there has been a noticeable vibrancy all round, India’s record during the year was deplorable. For all the tom-toming about the employment of a slew of foreign coaches, the overall show was nothing to write home about. Barring the bronze medal won by the girls in the Junior World Cup in Monchengladbach, the moments to relish were few.

The arrival of Roelant Oltmans and the sacking of India coach Michael Nobbs before the Asia Cup, the qualifying event for the World Cup, enhanced the suspense. Though India failed to make it to the World Cup directly after losing the Asia Cup final to South Korea, it earned a place in the tournament after Australia and New Zealand won the Oceania event despite making the grade from the Hockey World League.

It was a very uninspiring story for the national team in all competitions. The exaggerated claims of the coaches and manner in which the gullible media swallowed everything to project a rosy picture before each tournament were despicable.

Barring Sardar Singh, there was not a single player from India who could be compared with any European or Australian player. The penalty corner specialists, Rupinderpal Singh and B. Raghunath, failed to deliver at important moments.

Hit by injuries almost throughout the year, India failed to field an effective frontline in any competition. Overall, it was a disappointing year, minus some flashes here and there.

From among Indian women, striker Rani Rampal sparkled.

The poignant moment of the year was when the star player, Teun de Nooijer, bid adieu to the sport. Inarguably the finest and most complete player for over a decade, Nooijer has left his imprint on the sport that cannot be easily matched for years to come. His achievements and accomplishments have already made him an icon in the pantheon of Dutch hockey. Equally significant was the retirement of the German star, Natascha Keller.



A heart-warming development was the naming of Rani Rampal as the Junior Player of the Year. But the overwhelming support received by Jamie Dwyer of Australia and Luciana Aymar of Argentina, who won the FIH Woman Player of the Year award for the eighth time, only underscored their extraordinary competence.

On the domestic front, everything was in a state of flux, with no end in sight to the standoff between Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation. Even the Apex court had expressed its anguish over the harm that the confrontation between the two factions had caused to the sport. The end of the year for India was anything but comforting, what with the junior men’s team, prepared diligently for months, slipping to the 10th place in the 16-team World Cup in New Delhi.

It’s now back to the drawing board. The administrators should be made to realise that they have let the sport and its millions of followers down. A new chapter needs to be written, as 2014 unfolds. Indian hockey has a stupendous task ahead.

Decent ratings in the World Cup and Commonwealth Games apart from a gold medal in the Asian Games should be the goal. It remains to be seen if the new coach, Terry Walsh, with the help of Baskaran and the High Performance coach, Oltmans, can perform any miracles!

Sportstar



Faizal hoping to strike good in India

By S. Ramaguru


Faizal Saari (left) will feature in the Hockey India League (HIL) for the second time and will play for the Dabur Mumbai Magicians. - Filepic
   
KUALA LUMPUR: National hockey forward Faizal Saari will be making his second foray into Hockey India League (HIL).

He will play for the Dabur Mumbai Magicians for the second-year running. He is one of the two Malaysians selected to play in the league. The other is goalkeeper S. Kumar, who will turn out for Uttar Pradesh Wizards. Both players played for the same teams last year.

Both players have been released by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) to play in the HIL although the national team will be in training.

They will leave for India on Jan 15 after attending a three-day physical test with the national team next week.

Faizal said he was excited to be playing in the HIL again.

“My target is to do better than last year. Although I got the chance to play in all the matches last year, I failed to score a single goal. That was a low point for me. But I enjoyed playing in the league.

“I believe there will be more games this year as there are six teams in the fray this time compared to just five last season,” added Faizal, whose first venture overseas was in the Western Australian League in 2012.

Faizal also played for the Berlin Tennis Club in the Bundesliga in September last year.
 
“I scored seven goals in Germany. I believe this time I should be able to get the goals in India,” he said.

A total of 59 foreign players are taking part in the HIL.

Twenty five players are from Australia while Holland have seven. The others are from Spain (six), England (five), New Zealand, South Africa (four each), Argentina (three), Germany (two) and Ireland (one).

Faizal said he hoped to get better by learning from the other players.

“Besides scoring, I also want to ensure that I get to play in as many matches as possible. There will be a maximum of 14 matches this year. We have a very tough national programme this year with several big tournaments. It is important for all of us to improve our game and aim for a good performance all round.

“One of the highlights will be to play and do well in the World Cup in May,” he said.

Faizal said he would contimue to pursue playing chances in other overseas leagues.

“I would like to play abroad more often. It is a great way to improve one’s game. But this year the national team will have top priority,” he said.

The Star of Malaysia



MHS confident of making an impact

By Ajitpal Singh   

MALACCA High School (MHS) are hoping to take advantage of playing more matches at home in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL), which starts on Jan 10.

Slated for four of six matches at home, MHS believe they have the depth to make an impression this year.

MHS will open accounts in Division One with home matches against Anderson-Perak SEDC (Jan 11), KL Sports School Juniors (Jan 18) and Petaling jaya Municipal Council (Jan 18).

They will then take on UniKL Young Guns, SSTMI Juniors before completing their fixtures against defending champions SSTMI Thunderbolts.

"We must earn at least nine points from four home games in order to make the top four in the league and qualify for the knockout stage," said MHS coach K. Manogaran yesterday.

"There is no room for error and from our away matches, we hope to collect some points as well.

"It will be tough and I believe defending champions SSTMI Thunderbolts will once again be the team to beat."

Despite having an artificial pitch at their school, the team have opted to play their matches at the MPMBB Stadium in Bukit Serindit.

"Our pitch lack basic facilities like changing rooms," said Manogaran.

Manogaran said his players have been together since 2010.

"Most of them have played in top-level local competitions, so we are not competing this year for exposure," he said.

MHS have included three players who are studying in different schools in Malacca.

They are Aidil Azmi (SMK St David), Mohd Zairie Mohd Nizam ( St Francis Institute) and Amir Wafiq Aizari Kamaruddin (SMK Selandar).

MHS's best ever finish in the MJHL was runners-up in Division Two, behind Sapura in the 2012 edition.

New Straits Times



Watch the Maxi5s women’s semi-final on 11 January


Emily Maguire Indoor Hockey

Come along to the Maxinutrition Hockey 5s Women’s Semi-Finals for an evening of excitement. In addition to two Semi Finals matches with an MC and music during intervals, you'll have the chance to win great prizes and meet our mascots. A range of snacks and hot and cold drinks will be available to purchase. Included in the evening's action are:

    New 5-a-side format
    Top Clubs & Olympic stars
    Fun for all the family
    Goals guaranteed

Ticket bought in advance cost just £8 for an adult and £4 for a child. You can buy tickets here.

Timings for the day are:
17:00 - Doors open
18:00 - Semi Final 1
19:30 - Semi Final 2

Print at home e-tickets have no additional fees.

A £1.75 P&P charge is applicable to purchasers wishing to have their tickets posted.

Tickets on the door, subject to availability, will be £10 for Adults and £5 for Children.

Currently Slough sit top of the women's indoor Premier Division, followed by Bowdon Hightown.

England Hockey Board Media release



Inverurie hockey player receives MBE for charity work

Inverurie Hockey Club player Angie Shearer, from Huntly, has been awarded an MBE in this year’s Queens New Year’s honours list after all her fundraising for Cancer Research UK.

The 28 year old has been fundraising for the charity since she was 15 and has now raised over £750,000 so far through organised walks and runs.

After her gran Irene lost the battle to cancer, Angie took part in the Peterhead Relay for Life at just 16. Angie was the chairwomen of the organising committee for eight years and stepped down only this year.

The Banff Academy PE teacher was shocked to be on the list and has plenty more fundraising walks planned, the big on being the  10k twilight walk at Inverurie later on this year, which sees over 700 people attend all to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

We want to congratulate Angie on her achievements so far and wish her all the best in her future fundraising.

Scottish Hockey Union media release

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